For some folks, coffee is just a necessary aid they must consume before interacting with any other human beings in the morning. For others, it's a serious hobby, and a way to make a living. For Aaron Blanco, owner of
Brown Coffee, what started out as a hobby has developed over the last ten years into a successful business (which recently earned accolades as best coffee roaster in Texas by
mentalfloss.com.)
Blanco realized that a lot of his patrons are in the hobbyist level of coffee-drinking and wanted a way to interact with those guests that didn't distract from day-to-day service at his shops. He came up with Pourlab. Currently held every Monday night at 7 p.m., patrons can join Blanco and his crew to learn the ropes of good coffee-making.
Class starts out at the most basic level, explaining what coffee is, and it evolves into advanced coffee techniques such as using commercial-size equipment and roasting your own beans. Once their new headquarters in Southtown open, Pourlab will be offered throughout the week for people to pick up at any level they feel is a good start for them, where Blanco and co. offer the basics for those just starting out more frequently.
Currently, however, Pourlab is limited to Mondays at the 1800 Broadway location, and is getting into level 2 classes. If you have a spare $20 and growing love for coffee, these classes are hands on and thorough. Even if you consider yourself an expert, there are always developments in the coffee world, and Blanco follows them. Pourlab provides an open forum where hobbyists and experts alike (the group is often made up of 10 to 12 people with varying degrees of knowledge on beans) can exchange their experiences.
Tickets for Pourlab can be purchased on Brown's website, where you'll find a description of the upcoming classes and pick which one appeals most to you.
1800 Broadway, (210) 274-0702.
